A man who stabbed his former partner in the neck with a screwdriver has been jailed for 14 months.

Paul Bradley Taylor, 22, had admitted charges of assaulting a woman, assaulting the same woman using a screwdriver as a weapon, stealing her wallet and camera, and breaching a community work sentence.

Christchurch District Court Judge Colin Doherty said the incident arose from an argument with Taylor's former partner on September 25, when Taylor went to her address drunk.

He punched another person while holding three screwdrivers. His ex-partner took a screwdriver off him, but Taylor raised his arm and brought another screwedriver down on to her neck.

He also punched her, pushed her over and threatened her with a steak knife.

She received a cut to the neck and bruising on her face, but was not seriously injured.

The judge said it was also nasty of Taylor to take the woman's camera and wallet as he left.

Defence counsel Paul Johnson said a psychiatric report on Taylor showed he had suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder for several years. The condition was now being treated effectively with Ritalin.

Johnson told the court: "He wants to change. He is motivated to change. The pre-sentence report's recommendation for intervention is welcomed by him."

He said Taylor had no recollection of the incident but agreed to plead guilty once the police summary of facts had been read to him.

He jailed Taylor for 14 months and ordered him to attend any recommended Stopping Violence programme and drug and alcohol treatment after his release. He also ordered that Taylor's psychiatric report be made available to prison authorities.

After being held five months in custody on remand - the equivalent of a 10-month jail term already served - Taylor is likely to be released in two months.